Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish admits that he could not have envisaged the situation in which former club Blackburn currently find themselves.
Rovers travel to Merseyside on Boxing Day with tensions currently running high as fans continue to vent their frustrations at under-fire manager Steve Kean and owners Venky's.
Under Dalglish, the club lifted their only Premier League title fittingly at Anfield on the final day of the 1994-95 season, but were relegated just four years later.
And the Kop boss, who was in charge at Ewood Park between 1991 and 1995, has expressed a tinge of dismay at his former club's fall from grace with Rovers currently rooted to the foot of the table.
He said: "There seems to be a bit of animosity in and around the club at the moment, but then sometimes that's an inspiration for people.
"For other people, that aren't so strong characters, they shy away from it.
"We know and expect them to be strong characters and come and do what they can to get themselves points on the board and try to help the manager as best they can as well.
"I think it's unfortunate that in a manager's position that you know that it's results that's going to count.
"If you don't get them then you know you're running the risk of getting your P45.
"You need support from your players, your owners and certainly from the crowd.
"I think the frustration is understandable in many ways but I don't think it's helpful.
"It's sad really that it's come to that but that's the way it is."
"I was there for four years. It was a great place for me to go and work. There were some smashing people there that were in charge of the club at that particular time." he added.
"I would never have anticipated or foreseen the situation that they're in at this particular moment in time."
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george, Aintree around 5 months ago